Motorbike racing has been a hit on the video game scene since the days of Excite Bike for the NES, and even with new consoles on the way and a new generation of handhelds just one year old (hello, PlayStation Vita), motorbike racing hasn't lost its allure. The latest entry in this scene is Urban Trial Freestyle, a game exclusive to Sony's PlayStation 3 and PS Vita. We are working on a review of the PS3 version, and for our beloved readers, we've nabbed a code for the full PS Vita version that we're giving away … [Read more...]
New Rhythm Game, KickBeat, Coming to PS Vita from Zen Studios
The company that brought us the most-popular Pinball games on XBLA and PSN has announced an all-new franchise coming to the PlayStation Vita, and it won't involve any pinball tables whatsoever. Called KickBeat, it's an experimental rhythm game featuring fully 3D characters and combat and high-energy music. KickBeat is slated to release this summer exclusively for the PS Vita. KickBeat offers players several innovative ways to interact with music. The game combines beat-matching mechanics with an acrobatic style of … [Read more...]
Resistance: Burning Skies, a First-Person Shooter, Ships for PS Vita
The first first-person shooter on a handheld system has shipped today, and it has the capabilities of the PlayStation Vita to thank for it. Called Resistance: Burning Skies, the portable FPS marks the official debut of the "Resistance" PS3 franchise on Sony's new portable gaming system. Chronicling the initial days of the brutal Chimeran alien invasion along the United States' eastern seaboard, Resistance: Burning Skies uses both analog sticks for precision shooting and navigation, while it uses the front and rear … [Read more...]
Konami Announced Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for PS Vita
The Metal Gear franchise is headed to the PlayStation Vita this summer, as Konami has taken the wraps off of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, with some PS Vita-exclusive features. The PS Vita game is being directed by Hideo Kojima. "The new PlayStation Vita will provide fanatics with an exciting new way to enjoy Metal Gear Solid HD Collection," said Tomoyuki Tsuboi, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We're confident that gamers will be pleased with their experience and what the PlayStation Vita has … [Read more...]
Official PlayStation Vita Travel Kit Review
The whole purpose of a handheld gaming system, no matter how high-definition or innovative, is to take your games on the road. No wires, no TV, no walls; just you, your games and a portable device. To pull this off, of course, requires a setup that actually enables you to play on the road: things like a charger, travel case and a few select goodies to keep you playing for hours on end. Sony’s new PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a killer portable gaming machine, with a host of non-gaming multimedia functions as well. But … [Read more...]
PlayStation Vita Sales Reach 1.2 Million Units Worldwide
With the PlayStation Vita available in North American and European stores for just over a week, Sony has reported that sales of the new handheld gaming system have topped 1.2 million units worldwide. That number is inclusive of all sales to date, including those in Asia, not just North America and Europe. According to Sony, the sales number has "exceeded expectations" and "firmly establish[ed] PS Vita as the must-have portable entertainment device across the world." Figures from Sony indicate that software sales … [Read more...]
Escape Plan Review
Much like the first SNES got gamers used to a console controller with six buttons, the PS Vita's initial titles are providing a gentle introduction to the system's various input options. Escape Plan fits that mold perfectly, a tactical puzzle game that starts with primarily front-touch controls but ramps up in complexity by eventually using front and back inputs, both thumbsticks, gyroscopic recognition and creative combinations of all three. The result is an interesting proof of concept for the hardware, but it doesn't … [Read more...]
Super Stardust Delta Review
Sony's new PlayStation Vita has a variety of firsts for a handheld system, and its touch-sensitive rear cover is in fact a first for the whole industry. When it comes to the actual game-playing experience, the PS Vita's use of two analog sticks is a welcome addition to the handheld landscape, and few of the system's launch games demonstrate how refreshing it is to have both thumbsticks better than Super Stardust Delta. Stardust began its days as a downloadable title for PlayStation 3, billed by some as Sony's answer … [Read more...]
Ubisoft Ships Five Games for PlayStation Vita Launch
If you're one of the lucky PS Vita owners who pre-ordered your hardware and is picking it up today, you've got five games from Ubisoft to consider buying along with your next-gen handheld. Ubisoft has shipped Asphalt: Injection, Dungeon Hunter Alliance, Lumines Electronic Symphony, Michael Jackson The Experience and Rayman Origins to retail to support the PlayStation Vita system launch in North America. A quick overview of each game is below. We'll have reviews of these titles as soon as possible; we've just now … [Read more...]
PlayStation Vita Nearly Here; Full Rundown of Launch Games
Sony's next-gen handheld, the PlayStation Vita, is nearly upon us, and although it's "just" a handheld, it has a game lineup deep enough to make you think we're about to encounter the launch of a full-fledged console. The system's elegant, no question there, but the games are really what matter to gamers. So, in light of the system's impending Feb. 22 launch in North America, we thought it would be helpful to provide a quick reminder of the PS Vita launch games slated to hit shelves on or about the system's launch … [Read more...]
